What Would You Do?

I may have mentioned before that Starling is absolutely brilliant and a wonderful student, but she finds school difficult.  This year has been particularly hard on my lil’ princess.  There were some claims that she was a bully (untrue), a couple or maybe four or five suspensions for bullying and then the inevitable bullying by other students and their parents about Starling being a bully.  That is not right!

She has also been complaining about being bored all year and I have had multiple phone calls with her teachers about what they need to do to challenge Starling more.  She would like more field trips, more high interest enrichment like performing plays about fairies that she writes, dressage instead of gym class, and just more.  The teachers seem uninterested in even discussing our ideas, particularly very late at night when I have my best ideas, and I am feeling frustrated.

This morning Starling told me that she was no longer going to go to school.  She didn’t fight me or anything, just refused to go.  I immediately called that lovely private school in the next town over to see if I could drop her off there (I thought that Röbert and I could figure out the tuition etc. later).  Did you know that you have to apply ahead of time to go to fancy private schools?  Wow.  I just thought you needed to show up with a check.  Also, more expensive than I expected.

Homeschooling is a no go.  I am far too busy with my blog etc. to have time for that.  But what can I do?  Is there a free alternative to school?  Something that is super-convenient for me?

She is far too smart for her public school teachers.

 

School Trouble

I got a call from the children’s school today.  I don’t know what is going on there.  It is a very good school in a very nice neighborhood but sometimes the administration is a little weird.

For instance, this morning they called and told me that they needed me to come in ASAP.  Well, I am sure you are thinking what I was thinking, “What has Merlin done now?”  Imagine my shock when I went into the office and sweet Starling was sitting there.

According to the guidance counselor, they have been trying to call me for weeks about Starling. Of course, I never answer the phone when the school calls because it always turns into a big misunderstanding (like this!) but I answered this morning because I didn’t recognize the number (it was the guidance counselor and usually it is just that bitch in the office)  and I thought it might be my nail tech calling with a cancellation.

Apparently they think that Starling might be a bully!  When they told me that, I just about exploded.  My lil’ angle is not a bully!  I stood up to leave and everyone was yelling all at once.  I ran out of the building and they chased me because they said that I had to take Starling with me.  They actually suspended her for a day because she was supposedly picking on the children in the gifted class and Fat Alice on her bus. She is a kind and gentle little girl, not a bully.  I am sure she didn’t say anything that wasn’t true.

I even had to miss spin class and lunch with my friends!  This is so unfair.

I am still steaming!

This angle is not a bully!